Oil tank gauge



J. E. MCNEIL OIL TANK 'GAUGE Aug. 4, 1931.

Filed April 16, 1950 #rra/pref Patented A ug. 4, 1931 UNITED STATESPAT-ENT oFFljcs e JAMES E. MCNEIL, or RALEIGH, TENNESSEE orL TANK GAUGEApplication filed` April 16,

This invention relates to improvements in gauges for indicating thedepth ofa liquid in a tank and has especial reference to a gaugeforunderground tanks such as are usedln the storing of gasoline orother'oils at filling stations Y 'At such stations the gasoline Vtanksfromv which gasoline is drawn for Vending are ordinarily buried a numberof feet below ground and are thereforenot accessible. The supplyofgasoline in such tanks is diminished from time to time as gasoline isdrawn out and is of course replenished as occasion may require.

. It isof eXtreme. importance that the amount of gasoline inthe .tank bereadily ascertainfollows therefore that where gauges are usedl able inorder that checkmay be kept ony sale receipts as compared with amountswith-V drawn fromthe tank. Also in replenishing the supply in thetankjmeasurement is often made with five gallon containers and the countof the number of such containers emptiedginto the tank is oftenquestioned It is of eXtreme importance therefore that a check be had atsuch times. The tanks ordinarily used are cylindricalv tanks varyingusually in diam- -eter from threeto "six feet and of various lengths.When, placed 'in the ground they are often not longitudinally leveledvupor when they are initiallyleveled one end often settlessothat inusetheyjare not level. It

` (a) To make algau'ge which may be placed 1930.v Serial No. 444,660.

within `the tankfthrough the` lling` pipe 5""- therefor (Z2) To modifyrthe filling pipe so that it` may be vused in connection with ythe gauge;

(c) To stiffen up the actuating parts of the gauge mechanism so thattheywill worksatflisfactorily .in spite of the large 'dimensions ofthetanks, and the comparativelylimited diameter of the filling pipe,with which they are to be used; and

(d) To provide means gauge to conform it properly with the sizeanddpositioning of the ytank with which itis use i i The means by whichtheforegoing and other objects are accomplished and ythe man-V ner oftheir accomplishment will readily be understood from the followingspecicati'on on reference tothe accompanying drawings inwhich: y i

Fig. 1, is a sectional elevation outhe cen' ter line of the filling pipeg' V- p Fig. 2, is a plan view ofthe pointer and dial;

Fig. 3, is a same lineas Fig. 1, showing the float and rod used inconnectiontherewith; and

Fig. 4, is a section taken on the line IV-IV of Fig.1. j

Referring now a5 the drawings. lois the shell' of the tank 11 a liquidlevel therein.

is a filler pipe extending upward from the tanktoward the surface 13 ofthe ground,a

portion of this pipe being brokenv away. This pipe has'been cut oifbelow the surface of the ground and a Y 14;, secured` thereon. From thetop of this Y an extension 15 of the filler pipe continues to theSurface ofthe ground `and a pipe 16 leads from the ybranch ofthe Y tothe groundA surface being there covered by the usual filler cap 17, forwhich I locking means may bey provided should it be so desired.

Disposed within the filler `pipe 12--15 is a Y gauge pipe 18 whichextends from the surface K of the ground preferably 'to ,the bOttQI'Ilof.

for Calibrating the A'fragmentary section on theV the tank. lVithin thistube and substantially co-extensive with a diameter of the tank, arechannel shaped guides 19 which are secured to the inner wals of thetube. Disposed within the gauge pipe is a float 20 from the lower end ofwhich float oppositely disposed pins 2l are secured and extend outwardinto the channels 19. The float 20 has a central opening therethroughwhich loosely surrounds a vertical tube 22 along which tube the floatrises and falls as the liquid level rises and falls. The tube 22 isprovided with a hardened point 23 at its lowerI end which point rest-sand turns in a hardened socket 24, the contact and resulting friction ofthese` coacting parts being reduced as far as possible to a minimum.Disposed within the gauge pipe 18 and preferably resting on top of theguide channels 19 is a bearing25, preferably a roller bearing, whichsteadies the tube 22 and yet permits free rotation thereof. EX- tendingspirally betweenthe bearin gs 24C and 25 and making substantially acomplete turn around the tube is a spiral groove 2G (shown ,only inFigs. 3 and 4l) with which groove a pin27 secured in the float adjacentthe lower end thereof and extending inward therefrom, engages.Preferably the groove 26 is formed by depressing the wall of the tubeinward so 2that the entire strength and still-'ness of the tube will bemaintained.

The tube 22 extends above the bearing 25 to the uper end of thestructure slightly7 above the ground and there passes through a plate,28 which serves as a dial or on which a dial may be secured. Mountedand secured on the upper end of the tube 22 is a pointer 29. Preferablythe outer edge of the dial plate is provided with an upwardly turnedannular V,flange 30 which forms a box` in which the pointer is disposed.31 is a glass cover plate for this box which cover may be held in placeas by a ring 32. 33 is a very light spiral spring or hair spring whichholds the pointer 29 steady during movement thereof and prevents anylost motion which would otherwise introduce inaccuracies into thereadings.

It will be especially noted that the part 22 is a tube givingthe maximumstiffness, that `this tube is grooved by indenting the wall thereof,whereby its stiffness isl preserved, that the float is guided verticallyby pins which give a minimum contact and friction loss in the guides,and that the contact of the float kwith the. tube is yalso effected by apin which gives a limited contact with the tube groove and limitedfrictional resistance- It will be further noted that thesepins are lo`cated adjacent the lower end ofthe float so .that they follow the liftexerted by the liquid on the float and thereby may actwithout` the dialmaybefmarked. to-agree with delinite quantities of liquid in the tank.To accomplish this all of the liquid which can be removed from the tankis removed, thus establishing for the tank a zero point or positioningof the gauge pointer which however ordinarily is not marked. Thereaftera measured quantity of liquid, ordinarily live gallons, 1s poured intothe tank and the corresponding position of the gauge pointer is markedon the dial. Additional increments of liquid carefully measured are thensuccessfully poured into the tank and the position of the pointer notedfor each such. increments until the tank is filled. Such of thesemarkings as desired may then be provided with proper indicia to show theamount of liquid such Y mark indicates as being in the tank, and thedevice is ready for use.

The procedure followed in the installing of one of these gauges is todig down around the liller pipe, cut same oil at the properdistancebelow the ground level and secure the dial and box-inplace andsecure the pointer to the indicator tube without necessarily givingitanyvparticular positioning. The tank should then be emptied, a desiredquantity ofliquid `be placed therein and the position of the indicatorAmarked. An additional measured quantity is poured into the tank andtheposition of the lpointer again marked, and such procedure is thenvrepeated until the tank is full, any or all of the marks thus placed,may be designated by the number of gallons they indicate. rlhe cover`plate is placed on the boX and secured by the ring and the device isready for use.

It will kbe understood thatthe tube 22 above the upper bearing 25 may bedetachable from the lower-part shouldit be so desired.

Having described my invention, what I- claim is;

In, a tank gauge, a dial, a pipe carrying said dial and extendingvertically downward therefrom tothe bottom of said tank, said pipebeingopen at its lower end so as to establish communication between said pipeand tank 'opposite disposed guides V'secured within said pipe andvsubstantially co-extensive with said tank diameter, extending upwardfrom thebottom of said tank, a pointer cooperating with said dial, atube carrying said pointer, and having inherent stiffness, eX- tendingvertically downward from said pointer to the bottom of said tank, andwith'- in said pipe,y bearings vfor said vtube-at the bottom ofsaidtank, and` at the top thereof, Y

ksaid upper bearing being disposed within said pipe and supported on theupper end of said guides, said tube 4having a Agroove substantiallyaccomplishing a complete spiral therearound between said bearings, aHoet ydisposed around said tube, a pin projecting inward from said floatinto said groove, pins projecting oppositely outward' from said float,and co-aoting with said guides to prevent rotation of said oat, saidpinsbeing disposedadjaeent the bottom of'said float.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature. y

JAMES EQMGNEIL.

